THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
ADGP Sudesh Kumar, who landed in a controversy after his daughter allegedly assaulted his official driver, has been removed from the post of chief of Battalions. ADGP (Headquarters) S Ananthakrishnan has been given the additional charge of the Battalion.
Sudesh Kumar’s daughter Snigdha Kumar had allegedly physically assaulted policeman Gavaskar on Thursday morning near Napier Museum. The incident took place while Gavaskar, the ADGP’s official driver, was taking the Snigdha and her mother back to their residence after their morning walk session.
The incident once again threw light to the sad plight of camp followers assigned for orderly duty as most senior officers and even their family members considered them as domestic aides. This made for widespread outrage against such feudal practices that still exist in the department.
Gavaskar
Even though Gavaskar filed a complaint against Snigdha at Museum police station for verbal abuse and assault, Snigdha too filed a counter petition alleging him of outraging her modesty. The police have registered cases against both persons based on these complaints.
The department’s move to remove Sudesh Kumar from his current post comes as an aftereffect of this outrage.
On Friday, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan had directed state police chief Loknath Behera to furnish a list of all policemen who are assigned on orderly duties at residences of IPS officers after Gavaskar’s wife and sister met him and filed a petition seeking justice.
Besides ordering an inquiry into the issue, the state police chief has also convened a meeting with representatives of
Kerala Police Officers’ Association and Kerala Police Association to resolve the issue.
ADGP Sudesh Kumar